Airship.



E. M. RALLS.`

' MRSHIP. APPLIUATIOH LBD AUG, ze, 1911.`

''j Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

E. M. BALLS.l

i AIRSHIP. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 23, 1911.

Patented NOV. 26, 1912 "3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

SMV

sunrise radins v -\y Utili at] EARL M. RLS, 0F SACRMENTG, CALIFORNIA.

Arnsmr.

Be it known that EARL-M. BALLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacra mento, in the county of Sacramento and .State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and usefullmproveinents in Airships,

i of which the" following is a specification.

My invention relates to air ships of the combined balloon and air plane class such as shown in my' Patent No. 995,033,issued June 13, 1911, and has for its object the .provision of an improved construction of balloon supports, improved. constructionof air planes,

and means to automatically controlthe eX- panse of air` plane surface tok-esp the-ship at all times in equilibrium.

' 6 a perspective view ofthe end of the planes with the valve flexed open.

In the drawings-similar reference characters will be used to designatecorresponding parts in the several views.

The balloon frame of my improved'air ship consists of the` rhorizontal side rods 1, 2 and 3, the `vertical=side rods 4, and the cross rods 5. Horizontal rods 1, 2 and-,3 have their front. and rear ends shaped to meet in pairs and the ends of rods 1 and 3 bent 4downwardly and upwardly, respectively, as shown in Fig. 2. f

The frame is braced. by meansof wires v6 secured at one of their ends to the sides or corners of the rectangles formed by the horizontal rods and the vertical orcross rods, while their other ends are secured toV eye loops 7 having threaded stems 8 mounted in rings 9 and held therein' by means4 of `nuts 10, this construction providing for regulat--A ing the tension of the brace wires.`

11 and 12 indicate truck aXles secured under the balloon frame near its Afront and rear ends respectively by means of supporting rods 13, and 14: indicates wheels journaled on said axles 11 and l2.

15 and 16 indicate 'cars swingingly sup- Speccation of'Letters Patent.

Patented New. as, asia.

Application led August 23,1911. Serial No. 645,511.

ported as shown at 17j, under the balloon frame, and having their frame ends tapered to a point as shown .at 18 to offer as little resistance as possibleto the air 'while the vessel is in motion.'

Secured at each side of the balloon frame,

above the truclsll' and 12 are frames 19' consisting Iof vertical rods 20, horizontal.

rods1 21 and cross ro-ds- 22 bracedby means of wlres 23 secured to v nsion rings 24 in the same manner as brace wires 6. 1 i

25. 'ndic'ates ribs secured to horizontal rods 21, and 26 planes secured to the ribs 25,

said planes having their front edges higher than their rear edges ,as shown. I have shown three planes 26,011 each frame 19 but it will be'apparent that thisI number may be increasedor diminished as desired for the `most ecient operation of theyniachine.

Frames 19 are braced by meansof wires l 27 secured thereto and tothe sides of the balloon frame and also ,by means of rods 23 'secured to the bottoms of the frames and' to supporting rods-13.

In the form shown in thedrawings the middle plane 261011 each frame 19 has its outer end formed with a trUnCatedfV-Shapedcutaway portion indicated at 27, and 28H indicat es a supplemental plane or tip that is of the same shapeasthe incision but slightly larger inarea, and rigidly secured at its narrower end to the underside of plane 26 adjacent kto the cut away portion 27a; planes or tips 28a are made of flexible material and have ropes 29 secured to their undersides that are run over guide pulleys 30 secured to the lower portion of each frame 19 and pulleys 31 secured to the floors of the cars 15 and 16, and have their free ends secured lto windlasses 32 vin said cars. y

33 indicates other ropes secured to the upper sides of planes or tips 28a` that are run over guide pulleys 33,a on thev top of the frames 19 and have their free ends secured to weightsv34 slidably mounted in boxes As the cars 15 and 16 are mounted to swing laterally on` the supports 17 it will be apparentthat when the windlasses 32 are secured from rotation that oscillations oit the cars 15 and 16 caused by dipping ot' the planes 26 to either side will cause the planes or tips on lthe higher side to be flexed downwardly thus lessening the resistance surface of the planes on that side, and, as the planes or'tips'QSa on the vlow side are in engage- ;ment'with the undersides of the planes 26 to which 'they are secured, the surface area of resistance to the air of the planes on'the low side is greater than` the surface area of resistance of the planes on the high side, the

machine willright itself1 the flexed planes l being returned to their normal posit-ions by AYmeans Vof the weightsl 254 when the planes are 'again'horizontaL l Planes or tips 28a are also used to guide the air ship .upwardly'and downwardly. By flexing the planes or tips on the frames 19 at the front of the vessel the lifting power of the front planes relatively to the rear planes islessened and the ship will incline downwardly, while should the planes or tips 28a on the frames 19 toward rear ofv the vessel tbe flexed downwardly the' lifting power of the rear planes 26 will be lessened relatively to the liftingpowerof the front planes 26 and thevessel lwill incline upwardly. For the purpose of propelling the ship I provide two' 'propellersl 36 each of which is mounted on thes'haft 37 of a suitableA motor '38, said -motors. being identical in structure and either is alone suliicient to give the planes aA maximum lifting'capacity cor'nmerisurrate` with safety -in operation, and removes the danger. of disaster from breaking down of onev of the motors.'v x

The .motors and propellers are mounted in vertical relationship as shown 'in Figs. 2 and 3 andthe front of the vessel is inclosed with sheet aluminum 39 or any other suitable material to protect the space where the motors are stationed. The sides, -top and bottom of the frame at the rear of the motor room are covered with any suitable fabric 40 such -as balloonycloth and the sections formed by the rods 1, 2 and 3, 4 and5 and braces 6 'have bags 41 of balloon cloth. or

other suitable fabric, that are inflated with gas and operate to lift the vessel unloaded so that the lifting power of the planes 26 is exerted in lifting thev cargo carried by the cars.

l42 indicates the rudder that is pivotally mounted at the 'rear4 ofthe vessel and operated by ropes '43 secured thereto and wound on a windla'ss in car 45 securedv under the` rear ofthe vessel,' said car 45 being wider than cars 15 and 16 to ,enable -the operator to see ahead in vshaping the course of the vessel.

46 indicates a. shaft journaled in front of the rudder 42 on which are secured planes 47 that may be used to regulate'the upward and downwardinclination ofthe vesselv in addition to the fmephanism .heretofore described including the planes or tips 28, ormay be -used independently thereof as'desired. Shaft 46 is 'actuated'by means of 65, mounted onta ropes 48 secured to a vcross -bar 49 and 50 stationed'in car 45.

' I claim isjone of its edges under each cut-out portion,

l nofrag/ie' In operation in additionto the automatic balancing effect of theA cars 415, 16hereinafter described, it will be apparent that shouldthe vessel continue toztip to one side the cars will Ieventually Contact with the rodsl13 sup orting'shafts 11 andfd and. be prevented) from swinging any farther, so that continued tipping of the vessel being against the weight of the. cars and their contents will be prevented. 75

Having 'thus ,described my invention what 1. Inan air-ship, planes secured thereto having cut-out' portions in their outer ends, a flexible plane secured 'along one`of its edges under each cut-out portion, said flexible plane being larger than the cut-out portion, means to hold the flexiblev planes in.

engagement with the ,first-mentioned plane, and means to move the flexible `plane from engagement therewith.

I 2. In an air-ship, afra'me, planes secured thereto having cut-out`- .portions in their outer ends, a flexible plane secured alongv said flexible plane being larger than the cutout pprtion, cars swingingly secured to the frame, and operative connections between said llexible plaies and the swinging vcars to Hex the planes on the high side of the ship when it lists.

3. In an air-ship, a frame, planes secured thereto having c utout portions in their. outer ends, a flexible plane secured along one of its edges under each cut-out portion, said flexible plane being larger than the cutout portion and overlapping its edges, cars swingingly secured to the frame, ropes connecting the undersides of said flexible planes and the cars to flex the planes downwardly,

and means to normally hold the flexible planes in. engagement with the -llrst-mentioned planes.

4. -In an air-ship, a frame,'planes secured thereto having V-shaped-cut-out portions in their outer ends, -a` V'-shaped flexible' plane secured along its narrow edge'to the under side of each first-mentioned plane along the narrow edge of its cut-outportion, said V- shaped Iplane being wider than" the cut-out portion and overlapping' its edges,v cars mounted on said 'frame and adapted to swing laterally thereof, ropes' connectin the undersides of said vshaped planes an the cars to flex the planes downwardly, and

-meansto normally lhold the V-shaped planes in engagement with the firstfmentioned planes.` y

5. In an air-ship, a frame,planes secured thereto and having V-shaped cut-out'. por-- tions in their outer ends, a flexible V-shaped plane secured along its narrow edge to thev underside of each first-mentioned plane along the narrow edge of its cut-out portion, saidV-shaped plane being wider than the 'luvt-uonbportonand overlapping its edges, normally in enga-gement nf-ith the irst-meneers mounted onvsvad frame and adapted to tioned planes. 10 swing lateally jthereof, Windlasses mountedy In' testimony whereof I hereto nlx my Qin the ears, ropes connectingsa'd Windlasses signature in the presence of two Wltnesses.

y5 UWiththe umilersdesjof"said V-shaped planes, EARL M. BALLS.

Weights sldaloly mounted on the frame, and Witnesses: ropes connectingsad 'Weights and the upper T. L. Dn ,Al1nwto 1\1n,

sides of said V-shaped planes to hold them 2C. U. 'FQNTENEAIL 

